My Sciatica is playing up again!

One of the most common conditions that I treat on a regular basis is sciatica and unfortunately, many people simply accept sciatic pain as a normal part of their daily life. Sciatica is more common than most people think with between 10-40% of the population experiencing sciatica at some point in their lives. But it doesn’t have to be this way! A study conducted in the UK found that 55% of patients attending a Physiotherapy private practice experienced a significant improvement in their pain one year later with conservative treatment, indicating sciatica can be effectively treated conservatively.

So… what is sciatica? What causes it? And most importantly… what can we do about it?

What is Sciatica:

In 90% of cases Sciatica is caused by a disc bulge which places pressure on the adjacent nerve root causing symptoms down the leg along the distribution of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve starts in the lower spine and travels behind the hip and down the back of the leg all the way to the side of the foot.

What are the symptoms?

The most commons signs and symptoms of sciatica include the following:

• Pain experienced down one leg
• Pins and needles and/or numbness down the affected leg
• Weakness down the affected leg
• Increase in leg pain with coughing, sneezing or taking a deep breath
• Gradual increase in pain over time

But that’s not all!

As previously mentioned, the sciatic nerve runs behind the hip, through the glute muscles and down the leg. Therefore, if patients have very tight and/or weak glutes, these muscles may place pressure on the sciatic nerve and result in neural symptoms down the leg without the presence of any disc bulge. For this reason, if you have neural symptoms (such as pins and needles, numbness or burning pain) down your leg, it is very important to see your physiotherapist to determine the exact cause of the symptoms and treat the root of the problem.

So… How is it treated?

There are various forms of treatment used to help reduce sciatic pain which include the following:

1. Exercise:

Yep, you heard right. Often when we feel pain, exercise is the last thing we want to do. However, research has shown that one of the most

valuable treatments for sciatica is exercise. In fact, the sciatica guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence state that stretching and strengthening exercises for the lower back should be used as the main component of treatment and passive techniques such as massage should only be used in conjunction with an exercise program. Your physiotherapist can create an individualised exercise program made specifically for your health needs.

 

2. Education:

It is incredibly important for people to understand what is going on in their bodies in order to allow you to independently manage your own health. Therefore, education is very important when treating sciatica.

3. Manual Therapy:

Manual therapy includes passive treatments such as deep tissue massage, joint manipulation and dry needling. These techniques can be used to manage and reduce sciatic pain which can effectively be used alongside a stretching and strengthening program to prevent further flare-ups.

Take home messages:

1. Sciatica is a very common condition which effects up to 40% of the population.
2. Sciatica is not a lifelong condition and can be effectively treated with a combination of exercise, education and manual therapy
3. Physiotherapists determine the exact cause of your neural symptoms and provide you with an individualised program to suit your needs.

If you recognise any of these symptoms and would like some guidance in managing your sciatica, please call our friendly staff on (07) 40925330 to book an appointment, or if you would prefer you can choose a time that suits you and book online.